TheTarka Trail is a series offootpaths andcyclepaths (rail trails) around northDevon, England, that follow the route taken by the fictionalTarka the Otter in the book of that name. It covers a total of 180 miles (290 km) in a figure-of-eight route, centred onBarnstaple.
The 31-mile (50 km) section betweenBraunton andMeeth is car-free, level and mostlytarmacked, and is shared by pedestrians and cyclists, with horseriding also permitted on part of it.[1]
The remainder of the route covers a wide variety of landscapes, including wooded river valleys, moorland, coastal cliffs andsandybeaches. Walking varies from easy through to moderate and strenuous, depending on the location, but, in general, it is comprehensively waymarked.
The trails are a popular tourist destination and bicycle hire businesses are available for those who wish to cycle along suitable sections of the trail. A section of the Trail is part ofNational Cycle Network route number 27 and forms part of the route known as theDevon Coast to Coast Cycle Route a route of 99 miles (159 km)[2] fromIlfracombe toPlymouth largely usingformer railway lines.
The Tarka Trail was established in 1987 as the Taw/Torridge Country Park using the disused railway line between Barnstaple andBideford.[3] The railway line was purchased for £515,000 in 1986-87 fromBritish Rail.[3] In 1989, the remainder of the line between Bideford and Meeth was acquired in its entirety byDevon County Council for £1.[3] Conversion of this section to a footpath was enabled by a £60,000 Derelict Land Grant fromcentral government in 1989–90, plus a further £100,000 from Devon County Council and theCountryside Commission in 1990–91.[3] A large proportion of the money was needed to adapt and repair bridges across theRiver Torridge.[3]
Parish councils,Dartmoor andExmoor National Park Authorities and theNational Trust played a part in the development of the rest of the Trail. Their consultation and co-operation ensured low environmental costs while retaining a large degree of accessibility to the Trail. Even the Otter Conservation Officer was involved to ensure there would be no disturbance tootters where the Trail followed water courses.[3]
The section between Barnstaple and Bideford was opened on 21 May 1991 and was made into a combined footpath and cyclepath. The section from Barnstaple to Meeth was named the Tarka Country Park.[3] Once the southern circuit was also incorporated, the Trail spanned 180 miles (290 km). It was opened byPrince Charles in May 1992.[3] The Tarka Country Park identity was finally subsumed by the Tarka Trail in 1994.[3] The route to Meeth was converted into a cycle/walkway in 1997. It was delayed by a quarry covering the line of the old railway.[3]
Several sections of disused railway line have been used to create the trail. These have the benefit of being relatively flat, with only small uphill and downhill gradients. The paths also run across many former railway bridges, which command notable views over various rivers and valleys. Railway buildings restored on the route include the station buildings at Bideford and Torrington and the signal box at Instow.
Former railway sections include:
Below Braunton, the path follows the western bank of theRiver Caen, which was straightened to become theBraunton Canal in the 1850s, before following the northern edge of Horsey Island, reclaimed from the estuary at the same time.[4] The path then turns north along the eastern edge ofBraunton Burrows, an extensive sand-dune system leased by theMinistry of Defence for army training. The dunes are closed for 10 days per year for this purpose.
The Tarka Trail passes through numerous towns and villages, including:
Local walking routes which intersect or coincide with the Tarka Trail:
Using public transport for at least part of their journey means that walkers can plan walks which start and finish at different places, rather than have to circle back to their start point to collect their cars.
The Trail may be reached from stations on TheTarka Line, the railway fromExeter toBarnstaple. Services to some stations are infrequent and at several the trains only stop on request.
Most towns and villages along the Tarka Trail havebus services, although some of these may not be very frequent. The cycle route officially ends atMeeth Halt railway station, though cyclists and walkers can catch a bus that leaves regularly from The Bull and Dragon pub to complete the circular trip.
